The Strength of Support.

Today’s Marketing Cookie reminds us of the power of encouragement and the impact it can have on someone's life.

Jack was a mechanic in a little gas station that was in the center of the neighborhood. What caught Jack's eye was the young boy named Carlos who lived next door and an unfortunate pattern that repeated every day.

Carlos was a quiet, shy kid, always running home from school as fast as his legs could carry him to escape Bobby, the neighborhood bully. Though they were the same age, Bobby was much bigger and took twisted pleasure in chasing Carlos down and roughing him up. Day after day, Jack watched Carlos try to make a shortcut through the gas station, desperately trying to outrun Bobby. Most days, Bobby caught him, and Carlos ended up on the ground, begging for mercy.

One day, right on schedule, Jack saw Carlos running toward the gas station. Determined to intervene, Jack stepped out to stop him.

"Hold on, Carlos. I want to have a word with you," Jack said, his voice calm but firm.

Carlos turned to look behind him, wide-eyed and terrified, and said, “Please sir, I have to go!” Bobby wasn't in sight yet, but he was coming, and they both knew it.

"You're not going to run away anymore," Jack told him. "You're going to stand up for yourself. You're going to fight that bully right here, right now."

Carlos' face went pale. "But he's bigger than me," he stammered. "I can't do it."

Jack looked him in the eye. "Yes, you can. You're stronger than you think. You just have to believe it." He continued, "Running from your fear is more painful than facing it." The more Jack encouraged him, the braver Carlos became. The fear in his eyes was replaced by a spark of determination.

When Bobby finally showed up, Carlos took a deep breath and turned to face his bully. It was a short but fierce fight. Fueled by fear and frustration, Carlos rushed forward, knocking Bobby to the ground and bent his middle finger backwards until the bully cried out in surrender, "I give up!" From that day on, Bobby never bothered Carlos again. In fact, they ended up becoming friends.

That shy little boy, encouraged by a friendly gas station mechanic to stand up for himself, grew up to achieve incredible feats. Carlos became a martial arts champion, holding numerous titles and black belts in multiple disciplines. Just as Jack had done for him, Carlos dedicated his time to teaching kids character development through martial arts in the Kickstart Kids program. As an actor, Carlos starred in iconic action films and a long-running TV series. He also became an internet sensation, admired through countless memes as the world's toughest man.

This remarkable story of a scared little boy who was encouraged to believe in himself and face his fear belongs to none other than Carlos Ray Norris, known to the world as Chuck Norris. 

Jack could not have known what was possible for Carlos, but his encouragement sparked a transformation in a young boy's life. Let's take a moment to look around us for those who need encouragement or someone to believe in them, just as today's fortune says, "This week is a good one to stand firm with your friend. Lend a hand."